The Las Vegas Raiders had some dark times under the leadership of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. While those days may feel long gone due to two recent regime changes, the "Patriot Way" is still very much alive in Las Vegas.
Several of the players on the roster are still holdovers from this era of the Silver and Black. Most notably, a handful of young draft picks that got off to a slow start under McDaniels and are still looking to find their footing in the NFL.
On Sunday, these players will face the coach who drafted them, as McDaniels is now the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots once again. These five, in particular, stand out as those who can stick it to their old coach with a strong performance.
These 5 players can stick it to Josh McDaniels with strong Week 1 games
1. Tre Tucker, WR
Despite being a third-rounder, Tucker was inactive for his first NFL game. This was a bad foot for the young player to start on, and he played sparingly in the first eight weeks, catching just four passes for 73 yards until McDaniels was fired. Tucker is due for a breakout, and that should start on Sunday.
2. Tyree Wilson, DL
Wilson was nabbed with the No. 7 overall pick in McDaniels and Ziegler's second and final draft, and he underwhelmed with just 1.0 sack before the duo was canned. Now, however, he is poised for a big season under Pete Carroll and can wreak havoc on McDaniels' offense in Week 1.
3. Zamir White, RB
White was brought in as the heir to the running back throne because McDaniels and Ziegler did not want to pay Josh Jacobs. However, he ran just 29 times for 113 yards in a season and a half before these two were sent packing. But now, he may have a solid role behind Ashton Jeanty this year.
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4. Chris Smith II, S
Smith was a fifth-rounder in 2023 but played in just three games, exclusively on special teams, before those two hit the road. Now, he is set for a solid rotational safety role in 2025 and can hopefully help keep McDaniels' offense in check on Sunday.
5. Michael Mayer, TE
Mayer was supposed to be the future of the tight end room, but McDaniels and Ziegler did not give him the tools, on or off the field, to help him be successful. This year, Mayer is expected to step up next to Brock Bowers, and torching the Patriots would be a tremendous way to get McDaniels back.